VIDEO: San Diegans to rally for release of accused WikiLeaks whistleblower Bradley Manning

SAN DIEGO -- A rally will be held Saturday, Dec. 17, from 3 to 5 pm in support of the release of openly gay Bradley Manning, who was imprisoned on July 29, 2010, after being accused of releasing classified documents to WikiLeaks.

The documents consist of video of U.S. Apache helicopter crew in New Baghdad opening fire on innocent people, including two employees of Reuters and two children. It caused an international backlash against America’s foreign wars.

To protest the charges against Manning, for which he faces the possibility of the death penalty, the group organizing the rally plans to display colorful posters and signs in support of international democracy, government accountability and the humane treatment of prisoners.

Michael Anderson, one of the rally's organizers, says that the goal of the event is to raise awareness about the U.S. military’s attempts to suppress a whistleblower.

The Bradley Manning Support Network will host similar events across the nation this weekend, including a vigil Friday and rally Saturday outside of Fort Meade, Maryland.

Manning is scheduled to attend an Article 32 pretrial hearing Friday, his first appearance before a court and the first time he will face his accusers after 17 months in confinement.

For more information about the San Diego rally, which will be held at the San Diego Civic Center at Third and B streets, contact Anderson at (954) 648-1984 or paranoid4areason@gmail.com.